GRIMES, Iowa — Hy-Vee is undergoing an initiative to provide 100 million meals to the Feeding America network of food banks across the Midwest.
Through this initiative, customers can round up to the nearest dollar during check out to donate to the challenge. For every dollar that’s donated, Feeding America can provide at least 10 meals to food banks.
The program kicked off in March and will go through the end of the year.
This comes as food insecurity continues to grow in the state. According to the Food Bank of Iowa, over 345,000 Iowans are food insecure, including 15% of children in the state. Their CEO, Michelle Book, said that one of the most expensive basic needs is food.
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“We continue to see increases [in food insecurity] over and over again. No end in sight,” she said.
Book said Hy-Vee’s challenge is helping to raise awareness about food insecurity. The first Friday in September is also National Food Bank Day, so conversations like these help find solutions to the growing problem.